Playhouse



Nov. 29, 1033.

J. E. BUMANN PLAYHOUSE Filed Oct. 14, 1932 FIG. 3.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Joseph E.E1umann Patented Nov. 28, 1933 I 1 93 571 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE 1,936,571 PLAYHOUSE Joseph .E. Bumann, White Lake, Wis.

Application October 14, 1932. Serial No. 637,842 Claims. (01. 46-35) Thepresent invention relates to bird or toy shortlog simulating members for use in conplay houses and the primary object of the instructing the end walls of the house. vention is to provide a toy or miniature house Referring to the drawings in detail, and whereof this character simulating'a log cabin in apin similar reference characters designate corre- 5 pearance and which may be used either as a bird sponding parts throughout the several views, the

house for a. number of birds or as a childs toy bird or play house comprises a rectangularplay house of aconstruction'which may be readily shaped base or lower floor 5 upon which the assembled or taken apart. house proper is assembled and rigidly attached A further object of the invention is to provide by means of four corner fastening elements which 10 a. bird or toy house of knockdown construction aside from securing the walls in assembled relaand wherein the building units are of such novel tion also serve to retain the roof portion asseminterlocking relation as to be retained in rigid bled over the walls. The side and end walls of assembled formation by means of four fastening the house are constructed from a plurality of elements extended through certain of the buildlong wall units 6 and short wall units '7, and long 1 11 units. and short filler pieces or strips 8 and 9 respeo- A further object is to provide a sectional bird tively. The wall units or building blocks 6 and '1 house having a novel arrangement for securing provide logs simulating units and preferably have the roof in leak proof relation over the wall their outer faces rounded, and have flat upper portion and which arrangement may also serve and lower and inner faces as shown.

20 to suspend the house if so desired. The long wall units or logs 6 are tenoned at A further object is to provide a bird house each end as at 10 by cutting away both the upper of this character embodying a novel partitioning and lower edges of the logs and provide termiarrangement providing a number of separate nally facing shoulders 11 at the upper and lower rooms or compartments of difierent sizes and sides of the logs. These tenons 10 are of a I 25 each having an entrance opening, together with thickness slightly greater than one-half the a novel arrangement forretaining a perch in thickness of the logs and are adapted to overlap place at each of the entrance openings by an in cross formation at the corners of the house interlocking joint. so that narrow spaces or interstices are formed A further object "resides in the specific conbetween the superposed logs. The logs 6 are pro- 30 struction of the interlocking wall forming units vided in their upper and lower faces with chanproviding a structure having a realistic appearnels or grooves 12 formed substantially midway ance of a log cabin with filler pieces simulating the inner and outer edges of the logs and of a plaster between the spaced log simulating memdepth to have the base of the grooves flush with bers. the faces of the tenons 10. In assembling the 35 7 Other objects and advantages of the invention logs into wall formation, the inner surfaces of will be apparent during the course of the followthe tenons l0 abut the shoulders 11 and extend ing detailed description, taken in connection with across the ends of the grooves 12. the accompanying drawingsiforming a part of The short wall units or logs '7 are of like cross thisspecification and in which drawings:+- Sectional fi u a as that Of e long gs 40 Figure 1 i n d i of th house showing 6 and provide means whereby door or entrance fragmentary portions broken for illustrating cer- Opening panels 13 may be Provided in the Walls m details f construction of the house. The logs '7 as shownin Figure '7 Figure 2 is a vertical section substantially. on have thetenons fPrmed their outer ends the line of Figure 3. only and are longitudinally grooved at their up- 45 Figure 3 is a verticallongitudinal section on per and lower edges as 12' m corresponding r the line of Figure 1 manner as that of the logs 6. The grooves 12' u 4 at the inner ends of the logs 7 are connected by gf f honzontal sectlon on the hne 4 4 an end groove 14 adapted to receive the side edges of the panels 13. Figure 5 1s a perspective view of one of the' Th e lo 1 0 door or entrance opening panels for positiom'ng ng fi ler pleces or Stnps 8 are Intended 1 5 to close the spacing between the long logs 6, Walls of th ewhile the short filler pieces or strips 9 are intenda a pe W Well! of the e Step ed to close the narrow spaces between the short fol ass e Wlth each. of h (1001 panels. logs 7. The long filler pieces 8 are of a height 55 Figure 71s a perspective view of one of the less than that of the logs and of a length equal to the length of the grooves 12 whereby the ends of the strips abut the inner faces of the tenons. The short filler pieces 9 for use between the short logs 7 have their inner ends abutting the side edges of the panels 13 as shown in Figure 4.

The tenons or reduced ends of the logs 6 and 7 are formed with circular openings 15 which are adapted to vertically align for receiving therethrough, corner fastening pins or rods 16 suitably secured at their lower ends to each corner portion of the base floor 5 and which have threaded upper ends as shown in Figure 1. These corner fastening rods 16 as will also be apparent in Figure 1 have their upper ends projecting above the uppermost logs of thewalls of the house. filler pieces or strips are placedin the upper grooves of the uppermost logs of the walls.

The panels 13 and one of which is intended to be arranged in each end wall of the house, are of a thickness equal to the width of the grooves formed in the wall units 6 and 7. Each panel 13 is formed with a relativelylarge opening 17 and has its lower edge notched out as at 18 to receive a fiat step or rest 19. The step 19 is of a Width equal to the length of the notch 18 and is provided adjacent its inner end and at its upper side with a channel. 20 adapted to snugly receive the web 21 with the side portions of the panel beyond the notch 18 projecting below the under surface of the step. In assembling one of the panels 13 and step 19 in an end wall of the house, the step is first positioned in the notch 18 and the panel placed in the upper groove of one of the long end wall logs 6 with the step 19 resting upon the upper surface of the log. The short logs 7 and short filler pieces 9 may then be built up along the side edges of the panel with the side edges of the panel received in the end grooves 14 of the short logs. In this manner the panel and step will be firmly locked in position without requiring any fastening elements. The upper edge of the panel is received in the lower'groove.

oifone of the long end wall logs.

Arranged to extendbetween two diagonally disposed corners of the house is a vertical partition 22 dividing the lower portion of the house into two separate rooms or compartments 23 each having an entrance opening 1'7. This diagonally arranged partition 22 is beveled at each end and slidably fits between the walls with its lower edge resting upon the base floor 5.

Arranged above the partition 22 is an upper or attic floor 24 for dividing the house'into upper and lower compartments. Tlns floor 24 is rabbeted along two parallel edges; and in the example shown along its two end edges as at 25 and these reduced or rabbeted end edges are adapted to-fit intofthe spaces formed between two adjacent end wall logs at a location above the panels 13. This interfitting of the ends of the attic floor 24 in between the log simulating wall units provides a support for the floor and also prevents upward movement thereof. The lower side of the floor 24 rests upon the diagonally disposed partition 22 and forms a closure for the upper sides of the compartments 23. The side edges of the attic floor 24 will abut against the flat inner sides of the long logs of the side walls. The house is formed with a, ridge roof provided from a pair of roof plates or sections 26 of rectangular shape and having their upper or ridge edges beveled to provide a neat joint. These roof sections are of such length and width as to project beyond the end and side walls'of the It may here be weil to statethat' no house. The roof sections are provided adjacent their lower or eave forming edges with openings 27 adapted to receive the upper ends of the corner fastening rods 16. As will be noted in Figures 1 and 2, the logs forming the side walls extend for one layer above the logs forming the end walls and that the outer or lower edges of the roof sections rest upon the uppermost logs of the side walls.

Extended along the ridge of the roof is an angle-shaped ridge cap or piece 23 preferably formed of metal and serving to seal the joint of the roof sections 26.

Arranged adjacent each end of the roof is a strap metal securing strip 30 preferably of a spring nature and. embodying the strap portions 31 adapted to overlie theroof sections 26 and joined at their upper ends by an open spring loop 32 tending to normally spread the strap portions as shown by the dotted line showing in Figure 1. Theupper ends of these strap portions 31 have a transverse bearing engagement upon the angular portions of the ridge cap 28, and have their outer or lower ends apertured to receive the upper ends of the corner fastening rods 16. The ends of the corner fastening rods 16 which project above the strap portions 31 are provided with beveled Washers 33 andanut 34 threaded thereagainst. upon the rods 16, the building units will be firmly clamped together and the upper ends of the strap portions 31 so clamped upon'the ridge cap 28 as to securely retain the cap against displacement. If so desired, the open spring loops 32 may serve to suspend the house.

Arranged above each end wall of the house is a triangular-shaped end piece or gable 36 which are adapted to fit at their lower edges in the upper grooves of the topmost logs of, the end Walls. The ends of the gable pieces are out IoiT to fit between the uppermost logs of the side walls. The upper angular edges of the end pieces or gables 36 fit into grooves 37 provided in the under sides of the roof sections 26. It will here be noted that the nuts 34'are turned on the rods 16 against displacement.

Arranged midway between the gable pieces 36 and parallel thereto is a transverse partition 40 dividing the atticinto separate compartments 41 each having an entrance opening 42 provided in the gable pieces 36.- The lower edge of this substantially triangular-shapedpartition 40 fits in a groove 43. provided in the upper side of the upper or attic floor 24; while the upper. angular edges of the partition fit into grooves 44 provided in the under side of the roof sections 26.

A perch 45 is provided directly below each of the openings 42 and these perches fit into notches 46 provided in thelower ends of the gable pieces 36. The innerends of the perches 45 aretransand these grooves 47 interlock withthe gablepiecos as shown in Figure 3 with the perchesresting upon the upper'surface of the topmost end wall logs. Thus the perches 45 are locked in position without requiring any fastening elements. v It will be noted that the buildin units are so keyed together as to cause the units to be firmly interlocked one with another against all directions of movement by means of the four corner fastening rods.

Whilejthe house has been shown and d scribed as primarily intended as a birdhouse,

it will be readily apparent that the house may be easily altered for use as a play house by substituting difierent types of entrance opening panels to provide doors and windows for the house. By having the filler pieces or strips 8 and 9 colored white, presents the appearance of plaster between the spaced log simulating units. These filler strips aside from presenting a realistic appearance of a. log cabin, also form solid walls for the house by filling the interstices between the slightly spaced log members. The house when used as a play house willafiord considerable amusement to children in assembling the house.

Changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A toy house of the class described comprising a base floor, walls on the base floor formed of a series of elongated wall units and keying units between the wall units, a roof covering the walls, fasternng rods carried by the base floor and extending upwardly through the walls at the corners of the house, and a nut threaded upon the upper end of each rod for clamping the roof and wall elements in assembled relation upon the base floor.

2. In a toy house of the class described, walls formed of a plurality of building logs having openings at their ends, filler pieces arranged between superposed logs of each wall, and fastening rods extending through said openings to retain the logs and filler pieces in assembled wall formation.

3. In a toy house of the class described, a base floor, end and side walls comprising building logs and filler pieces between the logs, said logs having their ends in crossed superjacent relation and having openings in each end, a roof covering the walls and having openings aligning with the openings in the logs, and fastening rods secured to the base floor and extending upwardly through the aligning openings in the logs and roof.

4. In a toy house of the class described, a base floor, sectional end and side walls comprising building logs having openings at their ends and filler pieces between superposed logs, said side walls being extended for one log above the end walls, a gable interfitting with the top logs of the end walls, a ridge roof embodying roof sections engaging the gables and the top logs of the side walls, fastening rods secured to the base floor and extending upwardly through the openings in the building logs and through the roof sections, and clamping nuts threaded upon the upper ends of the rods.

5. In a toy house of the class described, walls formed of a plurality of building logs having grooves formed longitudinally in their upper and lower faces, and filler pieces arranged in the grooves between adjacent logs for spacing the logs and filling the spacing therebetween.

6. In a toy house of the class described, walls formed of a series 01 building logs having a longitudinally formed groove provided in their upper and lower sides and terminating short of the ends of the logs, and a filler strip fitting in the confronting grooves between the logs and serving to slightly space the logs apart for exposing a narrow portion of strip between adjacent logs.

7. In a toy house of the class described, end

and side walls comprising building logs having tenons formed at their ends for crossed contacting engagement at the corners of the house, said tenons having a thickness sli htly greater than one-half the height of the logs, a groove formed in the upper and the lower face or each leg between the tenons, and a filler strip fitting in the grooves between adjacent building logs.

8. In a toy house of the class described, walls iormedof a series of building logs spaced one above the other, filler pieces interfitting with the logs and closing the space therebtween, and entrance opening panels slidably interlocked with the logs.

9. In a toy house of the class described, walls formed of a series of grooved building logs and filler pieces interfitting in confronting grooves between the logs, said walls having openings to which certain of said grooves open, and a panel provided with an opening, slidably fitting in the grooves about said openings and held against displacement by the building logs.

10. In a house of the class described, a base floor, an upper structure comprising end and side walls, a diagonal partition between the walls providing separate compartments, said walls having entrance openings into the compartments, an upper floor engaging upon the diagonal partition and transversely grooved at its upper ide, a ridge roof, gables above the end walls interlocking with the roof and each having an entrance opening, a transverse partition between the gables with its lower edge held in said groove by the roof and providing separate compartments above he upper floor, and means for retaining the upper structure in assembled relation and upon the base floor.

11. In a house of the class described, a base floor, sectional end and side walls on the base floor embodying vertical interiitting units, a diagonal partition. between the walls, an attic floor above the partition and interfitting between units of the walls, a gable vertically interfitting with the top of each end wall, a ridge roof having vertical inter-fitting engagement with the gables,

a partition between the gables, and retaining rods carried by the base floor and projecting upwardly through the roof for securing the assembled structure to the base iioor.

12. In a knock down house of the class described, a base floor, end and side walls embodying wall units longitudinally grooved at their upper and lower sides and filler strips fitting in the grooves between the wall units, an upper floor having rabbeted ends fitting between upper wall units of the end walls, a gable fitting in the groove at the upper side of the top wall'unit of each end wall, a ridge rooi embodying roof sections grooved at their under sides to receive the upper angular edges of the gables, fastening rods carried by the base floor and extending upwardly through the corner portions of the walls and through the roof sections, and a retaining nut threaded upon the upper end of each rod.

13. In a toy house of the class described, a base floor, end and side walls on the base floor, a ridge roof covering the walls, a ridge cap for the roof, securing straps traversing the ridge cap and providing strap portions extending dowmvardly frorn' each side of the ridge cap, fastening rods carried by the base floor'and having threaded upper ends projecting upwardly through the lower end portion of each strap portion, and a nut threaded upon the upper end of each rod fordrawing the securing straps into binding engagement with the ridge cap.

14. In a house of the class described embodying side and end Walla a ridge roof covering the roof sections and joined by a spring loop stradclling the apex of the ridge cap, and means for drawing the ends of the strap portions against the roof sections for holding the ridge cap against displacement.

15. In a knock down toy house of the class described, a Wall comprising a series of long and short log members longitudinally grooved along their upper and lower sides, said short log members defining an opening and having end grooves confronting the opening, filler pieces in the longitudinal grooves between the log members, and an entrance opening panel in the opening in the end wall, said panel at its side edges engaging in the end grooves of the short log members and having its upper and lower edges engaging in the longitudinal grooves in the long log members above and below the end Wall opening.

JOSEPH E. BUMANN. 

